Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day to all!

I Got the Spirit

My image won 3rd place in the Michigan First Credit Union Debit Card Challange!  What an honor, with almost 400 entries mine came in 3rd place!  This is a wonderful way to end the year.  A sneak peak at what is ahead!

2011

This year has been a year of many dissappointments and discouragements.  I almost lost hold of my dream.  I am hoping 2012 to bring better things.
One thing good, I got a new grand baby.  Zoe was born in April and I have enjoyed taking photos of her.  I never had a good camera when my other grandchildren were born.  I've been getting a lot of nice photos.

Here's to a wonderful new year, 2012.

Zoe with big sister

Expecting

This winter was very hard.  I am expecting great things to happen soon.   I hope you are too.

Holiday Fun

F32, 30 sec, ISO 100

Holiday lights bring lots of photo opportunities for the photographer.  You can do so much with lights.  In the above image I gave the lights a "glare" using a small aperture, F32.  That makes for a slow shutter speed so be sure to use a tripod.  With all the lights on the tree there is no need to hike up the ISO, keep it set small.

F22, 13 sec, ISO 100

Here I tried the "zoom effect" on my Christmas tree.   Using a slow shutter speed, you simply slowly turn the barrel of the lens until the shutter releases.  You can zoom in or out, whatever your preferrence.  I zoomed in, stopping every now and then to give this shot a rigid look.  It kind of looks like fireworks. 



F22, 45 sec, ISO 100

 I'm not sure how this one came out darker with a longer shutter speed  But I love the look.  Here I just zoomed in and out, without stopping until the shutter released.  Be sure to use a tripod to help keep your camera steady.  You can use the "zoom effect" on any non moving object.  I'll have to give it a try some time.

Christmas offers so many photo ops.  Hope you get the chance to experiment with holiday lights.

NIght Photography



F20, 13 Sec, ISO 100


Night photography can be very beautiful.  It is very hard to capture lights at their best in the dark setting.  I've learned that photographers learn by doing.  You have to get out there and try then see what works and what doesn't.  The great many lights from this house allowed me to use a lower ISO.  Using a small aperture (F stop) makes the lights twinkle.  Again like I said, I had to try and try again with each shot.  Until I finally got it right.
The Holiday Season offers a wider variety of night photos to work with, right outside your own front door too.  And the longer evenings allows more time to practice.  Now if only I didn't mind the cold weather as much as I do.  :  /




F25, 13 Seconds, ISO 200



Heidelberg Project

This summer I visited the Heidelberg Project in Detroit.  It is a neighborhood that use people's creativity to turn unsightly trash into beauty.   Car tires, shoes, toys, electronics, carts, doors, buckets, empty bottles, you name it.   They turned the whole neighborhood into a work of art.  It was so colorful.  It is very interesting to see how creative minds work. 
Check it out some time.
http://www.heidelberg.org/